Mark oversees SGW’s operations, including urban design and land planning, and is an industry specialist in self-storage.

A registered architect in 28 states, Mark is President of The Lincoln Park Builders of Chicago and First Vice President of The Real Estate Investment Association (REIA).

Jeff oversees SGW’s team in a creative process that’s equal parts inventive design and stewardship of the client’s investment. Jeff has specialized in the design of multi-family residential and mixed-use developments, and his award-winning work has been featured in many national and local publications and on HGTV.

He serves on the board of Landmarks Illinois, where he chairs LI’s Fund and Easement Committee; and on the Administrator’s Zoning Advisory Panel for the Chicago Department of Planning & Development.

Known for his crisp design eye and pragmatic approach to space and cost efficiency, Chris’ work satisfies customers and clients, alike. Armed with his Midwestern work ethic, affability, and command of state codes, Chris is the project lead for our clients across the country.

An urban explorer, he is inspired by the complexity of his surroundings; unexpected moments in the city revive his spirit.

Self-described as “inquisitive,” Chris appreciates projects with a challenging level of complexity. He is motivated most when exercising problem solving and organizational skills. Chris also enjoys the close engagement between internal design professionals, external engineers, and consultants on projects.

Aside from a passion of architecture and interior design, he enjoys being creative by painting, drawing, and spending time outdoors running and biking.

For Dan, it’s all about the relationship. He enjoys working closely with clients and endeavors to know them well: “When I understand what drives my clients — what really makes them tick — I can more easily intuit what they need; delivering work that thrills them.”

An aficionado on the topic of lakeside living, Dan loves time spent on the water. He’s an avid kayaker, gardener, and backyard griller.

Kevin is constantly probing for innovative ways to design buildings that work for both clients and contractors. He enjoys adding residential homes to urban environments, believing “when people live and work in the same areas, it makes for a better neighborhood.”

A self-proclaimed DIY’er, you can find Kevin woodworking or renovating his house on the weekend.

Motivated by the big picture in all projects, Martin leads his team by assessing preliminary schematics and zoning analysis for clients early in the process. Martin is most interested in mixed-use and urban infill projects that allow him to work in the communities he lives in, making a positive impact that he can see every day.

As a music enthusiast he enjoys going to concerts and discovering new artists across all genres.

Mike’s dedication to efficiency is his calling card. Uniquely talented at working with individuals across disciplines, his participation assures that all parties get exactly what they need to be successful. According to Mike, “seeing a project come together as a result of our collective talents is terrifically fulfilling.”

Mike is an admitted tinkerer who loves to work with his hands on anything mechanical and electrical. An avid hiker, camper and paddler, Mike’s favorite place to be is Colorado.

Ryan believes there is a multitude of solutions to any problem, so understanding our clients’ needs and finding the best solution provokes a wonder of possibilities: “Whether that be in the early conceptual periods or in the small choices of detail production, opportunities are always abound.”

Passions outside of work include sports and stadiums; a long-term goal is to visit every NFL and MLB stadium. Ryan finds stadiums fascinating with how different experiences can be for people at the same venue for the same event. Players, media, concession workers, front-office staff, grounds-crews, ticket-takers, etc., all have a different experience of the same venue.

Ben has always been fascinated by our relationship to the built environment and the prospect of contributing to the future of cities. As a Senior Job Captain, he enjoys the moments of unexpected solutions to unique challenges and the opportunity to integrate moments of well-considered design at many scales.

In Ben’s free time he is an avid runner and enjoys painting, pizza making, and spending time with family.

As a kid Cindy would watch home improvement shows with her father and watch him remodel their home. She found it interesting how homes were constructed, so pursuing architecture felt like the natural thing to do. Design and drawing production are Cindy’s favorite parts of the design process.

In her free time she enjoys acrylic painting.

With over 20 years at SGW, Laura’s passion is architectural design with a firm grounding in the management and production of projects ranging from single-family homes to large-scale commercial facilities. 

Laura’s acute ability to listen to clients’ desires and detail those dreams in the finished product is the foundation for many repeat clients.

Always ready for a new challenge, Laura has recently started playing golf. She draws her creativity from the serene eastern Pennsylvania mountains where she resides with her husband and daughter.

Marino found his love for architecture at the High School of Art and Design. Now with seven years of experience in the field, Marino enjoys the feasibility stage, as it lays the groundwork of what can be created, and the construction stage where the vision becomes real.

Outside of work Marino likes spending time with family and friends. He also enjoys planning and building furniture, as well as working on cars.

Steve credits his 30+ years in the industry to the notion that architecture encompasses almost all of the visual arts. Simply creating gives Steve extreme delight and is his most enjoyable part of the design process.

In his free time Steve enjoys art, baking and cooking, reading, and getting out into nature.

Eric chose to pursue architecture as a career as a creative outlet and chance to hopefully improve people’s everyday experiences. It should also be noted that he was always a big Lego fan as a kid.

“I enjoy the early schematic process the most. I like both the countless possibilities at that stage and the problem-solving approach required to come up with a successful design.”

In Eric’s free time he is a movie buff, sports fan, and loves to play basketball. He’s always happy for any excuse to travel and like’s to explore Chicago on the weekends, trying out new restaurants, breweries, and frequently stopping at the Art Institute.

Growing up in rural Missouri, Raymond’s family would on occasion make it to Kansas City. With each visit he became more enthralled by the urban environment from infrastructure to historic homes and everything in between. This along with a knack for technical drawing were the main sources of Raymond’s decision to pursue a career in architecture.

“My favorite part of the design process includes all aspects that promote creativity and imbue a bit of my personal esthetic into the project.”

Outside of work Raymond is an amateur photographer focusing on the built environment. He also likes to walk around the city keeping tabs on new construction and happens to be a space nerd.

Stefanie’s grandfather, who always wanted to be an Architect, introduced her to the profession, and it’s been a great fit since.

She enjoys deep dives into building details since it integrates the aspect of constructability into design.

In Stefanie’s free time she’s spending time outdoors with her furry best friend, Stanley.

Kulsoom was always interested in understanding the creation of space around us — things that we regularly perceive but never really know the mechanics of creating it. Architecture was the perfect medium for this as it combined analytical, explorational, and creative elements.

Her favorite part of the design process is the moment the design begins to shape into a functional reality.

Kulsoom is passionate about spending free time with books, boardgames, and curating eclectic plants and art. On perfect summer days, she just likes walking around the city- photographing, sketching or making short films of abstract things.

As a student of architecture, Moesha learned the extent to which our world needs to be designed; with care for the end user and concern for the overall process. As a Design Professional, she believes that through good design, we can do more than just bridge the gaps present in our world.

Moesha most enjoys getting down to the nitty gritty details of a project. “It’s the small details that when put together right, make the larger component possible. Knowing the “why’s” and “how’s” behind how things are constructed satisfies my yearning for knowledge and encourages me to better understand the world.”

In Moesha’s free time, she enjoys experiencing new things, whether that means traveling to a new country, learning a new language, baking a new recipe, or teaching her dog new tricks.

Natalie’s interest in architecture stemmed from an interest in walking the fine line between her artistic and analytical sides.

Her favorite part of the design process is design development as she enjoys seeing all the pieces come together to form a cohesive idea.

Natalie’s passions outside of work include taking her dog on long walks and adventures, spending time with friends, and listening to podcasts.

The opportunity to create experiences and improve daily life at a human scale drove Samantha to pursue architecture. She believes the field allows balance for both creativity and realism.

Problem solving is what Samantha enjoys most about the design process: “It is satisfying to figure out the most efficient way to design a space. It’s like solving a puzzle!”

Samantha’s passions include cooking, traveling, and running. She likes to spend free time outside if the weather is nice.

Lew joined SGW as Partner in 2001. His experience spans the built environment, including retail centers, educational, commercial, healthcare, public works, religious, and residential.

Serving as a committee chair, he helped lead Chicago’s 2019 Construction Code Modernization. He also sits on the board of the Association of Licensed Architects, the Green Technology Committee of the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago, and the Chicago Chapter’s Government Affairs Committee. Lew is also a member of the Congress for New Urbanism.

With nearly 30 years of experience in finance, Bob spent the early part of his career in electronics manufacturing and retail hardware industries. When presented with the opportunity to join SGW, he saw value in joining an organization where he could make a direct impact.

“When you work in a large organizations you never know whether your work makes a difference. Here? Everyday matters.”

Bob’s passions outside of the office include spending time with his family and fishing.

Though her career began in broadcast journalism, Ashley quickly realized that her passion went far beyond an interest in appearing in front of the camera.

After producing and developing content for various media outlets, she found her niche in branding and marketing where she assisted nonprofits and corporations with discovering their true brand purpose and identifying outlets to distribute messaging. This experience along with a personal interest in architecture and interior design now allows her to promote SGW’s mission across all marketing platforms.

Ashley’s passions outside of work include traveling, finding new brunch destinations around the city and spending time with her dog-son, Bentley.